We ordered and tested the Polo Ralph Lauren multicolor shorts collection — a thin, non-stretch polyester short with an allover 3D print, S through 5XL, at $6.27. It reads as a straightforward beach short, and the 1–2 cm measurement tolerance means flat measurements matter more than the label.
- Hands-on score
- 4.0 / 5
- Editor verdict
- A light, straight-hem polyester short with a 3D-printed pattern and a genuine S–5XL run at $6.27. Print registration and stitching held up in our checks; the thin, non-stretch fabric and unconfirmed fit profile are the real limits.
Who this suits
Buyers who want a cheap, packable, fast-drying printed short for the beach or pool, and who are willing to confirm flat measurements with the seller before ordering.
Who should look elsewhere
Anyone wanting stretch, a heavier cotton chino or a structured short, and anyone unwilling to check flat measurements against the stated 1–2 cm tolerance.
Editor score 4.0 / 5
The Polo Ralph Lauren multicolor shorts collection (SKU 7720521196) arrived at the desk as a single listing covering several colourways — blue, orange, red, yellow, navy, white and black — sharing one straight-leg athletic shape. Listed at $6.27 against an original $6.74, in sizes S through 5XL, it is priced far below anything carrying the RL mark at retail. That gap is the first thing any buyer should sit with, so we tested the shorts as a construction and fit question rather than a branding question.
What we ordered and what we checked
We ordered through the agent flow and opened the parcel on camera. Both legs were measured flat with digital calipers at the waistband, hip, inseam and leg opening, and the parcel was weighed with and without the box. The shorts then went through three wear sessions — two outdoors in warm weather and one indoor session — before we re-photographed the print and hem against a grey card. Finally we inspected glue lines, stitching and panel alignment at 10x magnification before logging anything as a defect. Testing notes for this pair are logged above.
Fabric and print: light, flat, and honest about it
The listing describes a thin, non-stretch polyester with a 3D-printed allover motif, and that is what the shorts are. There is no elastane content, no brushed hand and no structure — the fabric drapes rather than holds a line. For a beach or pool setting that is the correct brief: the shorts dry fast, pack flat and never feel heavy against the skin.
The print itself is the one element worth a careful look on arrival. A 3D print sits on top of the cloth, so registration matters at the seams. Check that the pattern continues across the side seam and the centre back rather than stepping sideways, and that the colour on the leg matches the colour on the waistband in the same garment. Differences in dye depth between the navy and the black are the most likely place for a batch to drift.
Fit, sizing and the 1–2 cm tolerance
The listing states a 1–2 cm measurement tolerance, which is larger than most buyers assume. On a straight-leg short with a drawstring waist, that is roughly half a size in either direction at the waistband. Ask the seller for flat measurements of the exact size you intend to buy rather than relying on the letter alone, and compare those numbers against a short you already own.
Brand-level sizing guidance adds a second layer of uncertainty. Polo Ralph Lauren sells several fit profiles, and Classic-Fit is widely reported to run about a size larger than typical domestic sizing — retail fit notes for the brand's chino shorts repeatedly flag them as running large. None of that is confirmed for this specific listing, which carries no fit-profile label at all. Treat the size chart as an open question until the seller confirms it.
Price and value
At $6.27, the shorts cost less than a single wear-test lunch. The value case is simple: you are buying a light, printed summer short with a wide size run from S to 5XL, not a cotton chino. If a heavier, structured short is what you want, this is the wrong purchase at any price — the fabric is specified as thin and non-stretch, and there is no reading of the listing that makes it anything else.
Where the evidence gets thin
This exact item has no independent buyer feedback we could find, so the listing facts are the whole basis for the review. Brand-level signals point in both directions: store reviews for ralphlauren.com are heavily negative on fabric quality and sizing, while a replica-focused Reddit review of RL polos found the material close to the genuine article. Neither speaks to these shorts, and we treat both as context rather than proof.
Our verdict in practice
On the bench and on the route, the shorts did what a $6 lightweight beach short should do. Print registration held across the seams, stitching was clean under the loupe, and the drawstring waist adjusted without slipping. The limits are the limits of the material: no give, no weight, and a size range that needs a flat-measurement confirmation before you commit. Buy it as warm-weather swim shorts and it works; buy it expecting a chino and you will be disappointed.